UofL Physicians – Pediatric Rheumatology is a rheumatology practice for children up to 21 years of age. We treat a number of conditions that cause joint pain or stiffness, muscle diseases and connective tissue diseases like Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Scleroderma, as well as non-infectious fever conditions.

Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, or JIA (previously known as Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis/JRA) is the most common group of diseases that cause childhood chronic arthritis. It can be a mild condition but JIA can produce serious life-long complications. Often, children’s arthritis occurs when the immune system causes the body’s natural defenses to attack healthy tissue.

Sometimes this swelling and pain occurs for an unknown reason (known as idiopathic arthritis). It can also be caused by an infection in the joint or associated with another disease such as Lyme disease.

Drs. Schikler and Schmidt are recognized leaders in the field of Pediatric Rheumatology and are committed to advancing the standard of care and quality of life for children with rheumatological diseases.

Dr. Schikler is Chairperson of the Section on Rheumatology Executive Committee of the American Academy of Pediatrics. In addition, Dr. Schikler is an active member of the Childhood Arthritis & Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA), serving on a number of committees as well as an active member of the Pediatric Rheumatology Data Research group. Dr. Schmidt serves as a member of the Board of Trustees for the Ohio Valley Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation and a member of the Louisville chapter’s Advisory Board. Dr. Schmidt also serves on the CARRA Juvenile Dermatomyositis Committee and is active in PENTA: the Pediatric Rheumatology Regional consortium.

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